(NaturalNews) If there were ever a case for individuation, this is it. As of this writing I sit in my hotel suite in Tokyo, nearing the end of a 12-day NLP training that I have been conducting in Japan for nearly 20 years. This trip is different, as I elected to bring an extra 75-pound suitcase full of food. I don't trust that food grown in any Japanese soil is safe.

I've made it a habit this trip to interview everyone I can about the conditions here. What is life like since the Fukushima disaster? What do you do differently than before? Amazingly, most people shrug off the questions, stating that while there may be cause for concern, the government has assured them all is well. The air is safe. The food is safe, other than in a 50-mile radius of the Fukushima power plant.

While the air quality in Tokyo may not be cause for immediate alarm, the soil quality is another matter entirely. Fairewinds.org recently reviewed the results of Arnie Gunderson's Tokyo soil samples and declared the following:

While traveling in Japan several weeks ago, Fairewinds' Arnie Gundersen took soil samples in Tokyo public parks, playgrounds, and rooftop gardens. All the samples would be considered nuclear waste if found here in the US. This level of contamination is currently being discovered throughout Japan.

Thus, my 75-pound suitcase. Coming here at all is risk enough.

One businesswoman from Fukushima prefecture (state, not city) told me in a 20-minute chance interview, however, that she is not able to be so cautious. She is forced to eat at least 50% of her diet consisting of food with 40 times the level of radiation considered safe.

"How so?" I asked. "If you can fill half of your diet with safe food, why not all of it?"

She replied, "It's my mother. She refuses to believe anything is wrong with our local food. So, she makes me eat it."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-nine."

I stared at this woman for a moment, my thoughts spinning. Sensing my confusion and concern, she responded, "I can't say no to her. Whenever I try to explain my point, she gets angry, then I get stressed out and afraid to hold my ground. It is too upsetting, so I just eat."

As a former mental health counselor and practicing life coach, I've seen and heard a lot of people's issues in life. Dealing with parents, especially overbearing parents, is a tough one. Moreover, in Japan the culture offers some compelling reasons to avoid confrontation with parents. Children commonly live with their parents far into adulthood. However, even here it is entirely possible to draw the line and achieve a respectful adult-adult relationship. I have personally coached hundreds of people through the process. This is one of the most important psychological milestones in life.

My 20 minutes were up. As we ended I couldn't help but ask her to take care of herself and remember, you are the only you there is. The choices you make today, especially in this environment, may affect generations in your family. Is what you are doing really worth it?

I'll never know the outcome of our meeting, but I marvel at the hold parents have on us.

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